An offbeat way to get to Gwen.

Kia is a sweet, simple name that is now, unfortunately, associated with a Korean car label. Better today: Nia, Thea, or Keira.

A rare and refined Irish place name (Cinn Mhara) turned baby name, belonging to a picturesque harbor town. As a given name, it has received occasional use especially amongst the upper classes in Britain. Lady Kinvara Balfour is an English playwright and novelist.

Marino is an Italian first and surname with distinct crossover possibilities, having pleasant seaside undertones, and is far more unusual in the U.S. than sister Marina.

Arvor is an intriguing choice with two possible meanings. From Celtic and Breton, it means "woodland, forest, trees" and may be a cognate of Arbor from Cornish, however, it translates to "coast" or "where land meets sea". As such, this is a truly nature-inspired choice, whichever root you choose to follow.

Mary was such a common name for so long that it sprouted a whole family of chimeric name splices: Maryann, Marybeth, Mary-Lousie, ad infinitum. Spiderman's Mary Jane Watson, the closed toe shoe with a strap, and the common nickname for marijuana have helped keep this one especially familiar to the American ear.

A short form of Mýrkjartan, an Old Norse name derived from the Irish Muircheartach "sea warrior". It is also a Nordic form of the Old Irish name Certán, possibly meaning "humming sound".

Amphitrite is a mysterious Greek mythological figure, most often cited as a sea goddess who was the wife of Poseidon. She was said to be the personification of the sea water itself and was said to be present at the birth of Apollo.

Mythological water spirit with the more common spelling of Ondine, heroine of an Edith Wharton novel.

This pleasant modernization of a dated original is still rare but has real modern possibilities. Alternate versions include Merial and Meryl.

Diminutive of Welsh Maredudd, the original (masculine) form of Meredith.

The beguiling Darya is the name of a character in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. As a Russian name, it's a spelling variation of Daria, while in Iran, it's a girl's name that means "the sea".

This Yaygir Aboriginal name is the name of two towns in Australia and is also occasionally spotted as a name. Meaning "by the sea" the name is perfect for beach-going families.

Looking to honor Grandma Mary (or Maria) with something original? This Russian short form bears an unfortunate resemblance to the English word "mash", but if you can look past that, Masha has possibilities.

Cormorant is definitely one of the most unusual of the newly fashionable animal names, and one of the rare bird names for boys.

A merry surname cousin of Kerrigan, could make a lively choice for a happy little girl.

A quietly used Hawaiian name with an evocative meaning, Kainalu is an ocean-inspired option, well-suited to a state that's made up of islands. Blending Kai meaning "sea" with Nalu meaning "wave, surf", it may be more figuratively interpreted as meaning "billowing ocean". Given to 20 boys in a recent year, it is notably borne by actor Kainalu Moya.

Pacific is an adventurous kind of place-name, with the added bonus of the association with peace.

Laguna Beach is a famous California spot -- though there's "goonie" teasing potential.

A name made famous by Marisas Berenson and Tomei, never became as saturated as its cousin Melissa, so still a feasible choice. Marisa is one of those Spanish and Italian names for girls that sounds at once unusual and familiar, which makes it truly an international choice.